Construction has started on a controversial primary school designed to cope with extra demand from 1,200 homes being built on the former Saighton Army Camp.
Cheshire West and Chester Council ’s planning committee approved its own planning application for a brand new Huntington Primary School back in May.
But the decision came against a controversial background including the fact the school will be built on green belt land.
The expected completion date is October, 2018, meaning a fast turn-around for the large scale project.
A two-storey building, the school will be built on playing fields associated with the former army camp, opposite Walker’s plant nursery, with space for 420 primary-age pupils and a nursery.
It will replace the current school in Butterbache Road which provides 210 places and has had to install mobile classrooms to cope with demand.
But the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) objected to the loss of green belt. And the design of the school also had to address challenges such as noise and air quality due to its proximity to the A55.
Originally the idea was the Saighton Camp housing would be served by an on-site primary school. But in January 2015 applicants GMV Eight gained consent to build another 120 homes in place of the school – and a site allocated for businesses – saying the alternative school site was preferred and there was no demand for employment land.
Chester Civic Trust remains unhappy at how the situation arose.
It blames the planning authority’s acquiescence in the face of the developer’s desire to make more profit by building extra housing where the school should have been.
Andy Scargill, chairman of Friends of North Chester Greenbelt , agreed: “A properly planned scheme would have included a new school within the site and the green belt would have been preserved.
“As things stand now, children will have to walk out of the housing estate and across two busy roads to access the new site which is an accident waiting to happen. Furthermore the new school site will remove more playing field provision from a city where it has been established that there is currently under provision.”
Councillor Brian Clarke, cabinet member, economic development and infrastructure, said earlier this month: “The project to provide a new building for Huntington Community Primary School is progressing well.
"Contractors have been commissioned and a start of the construction work on site is expected during November. A dedicated web page for the build is in development; this will provide updates as the project develops so that the progress of the scheme can be followed. This is an exciting development for us and the community of Huntington.
“Our Capital Delivery Team are managing the project, they have been involved with development work over recent months for the scheme. The expected completion date for the school is October 2018. The school will be supported in a managed move to the new facilities over the October 2018 half term.”
